- 12/19/10 07:55 PM ET
The Senate unexpectedly approved food safety legislation by unanimous consent Sunday evening, rescuing a bill that floated in limbo for weeks because of a clerical error.
The Senate passed the Food Safety and Modernization Act on Nov. 30 by a vote of 73-25. But the bill was later invalidated by a technical objection because it was a revenue-raising measure that did not originate in the House — Senate staff had failed to substitute the food safety language into a House-originated bill.
A coalition of groups supporting the bill sent a letter Sunday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) calling for action on food safety.
“Our organizations are writing to support attaching S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, to the Senate's proposed short-term continuing resolution,” the groups wrote. “Strong food-safety legislation will reduce the risk of contamination and provide FDA with the resources and authorities the agency needs to help make prevention the focus of our food safety strategies.”
The American Public Health Association, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union and other groups signed the letter.
Democrats first attempted to attach the food safety bill to the two-and-a-half-month spending measure but Republicans balked because they wanted to keep that measure clean, according to Senate aides.
Republicans, however, later agreed to pass it by unanimous consent.
Reid announced he would send the legislation — this time properly attached to a House-originated measure — back to the lower chamber for final approval.
“Our food safety system has not been updated in almost a century. Families in Nevada and across America should never have to worry about whether the food they put on their table is safe," Reid said in a statement. "This is a common-sense issue with broad bipartisan support.
"Tonight we unanimously passed a measure to improve on our current food safety system by giving the FDA the resources it needs to keep up with advances in food production and marketing, without unduly burdening farmers and food producers,” he said.
The legislation is a high priority for Reid and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).
Reid’s staff earlier in the day had told a coalition of groups supporting the legislation that it had a chance of passing but the prospects appeared to dim as Sunday wore on. The swift approval by unanimous consent caught some aides and lobbyists working on it by surprise.
Sen. Tom Coburn, the outspoken conservative Republican from Oklahoma, had been blocking the legislation. He lifted his objection at the final moment.
The Senate passed the Food Safety and Modernization Act on Nov. 30 by a vote of 73-25. But the bill was later invalidated by a technical objection because it was a revenue-raising measure that did not originate in the House — Senate staff had failed to substitute the food safety language into a House-originated bill.
A coalition of groups supporting the bill sent a letter Sunday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) calling for action on food safety.
“Our organizations are writing to support attaching S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, to the Senate's proposed short-term continuing resolution,” the groups wrote. “Strong food-safety legislation will reduce the risk of contamination and provide FDA with the resources and authorities the agency needs to help make prevention the focus of our food safety strategies.”
The American Public Health Association, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union and other groups signed the letter.
Democrats first attempted to attach the food safety bill to the two-and-a-half-month spending measure but Republicans balked because they wanted to keep that measure clean, according to Senate aides.
Republicans, however, later agreed to pass it by unanimous consent.
Reid announced he would send the legislation — this time properly attached to a House-originated measure — back to the lower chamber for final approval.
“Our food safety system has not been updated in almost a century. Families in Nevada and across America should never have to worry about whether the food they put on their table is safe," Reid said in a statement. "This is a common-sense issue with broad bipartisan support.
"Tonight we unanimously passed a measure to improve on our current food safety system by giving the FDA the resources it needs to keep up with advances in food production and marketing, without unduly burdening farmers and food producers,” he said.
The legislation is a high priority for Reid and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).
Reid’s staff earlier in the day had told a coalition of groups supporting the legislation that it had a chance of passing but the prospects appeared to dim as Sunday wore on. The swift approval by unanimous consent caught some aides and lobbyists working on it by surprise.
Sen. Tom Coburn, the outspoken conservative Republican from Oklahoma, had been blocking the legislation. He lifted his objection at the final moment.
To the streets pitchfork in one hand torch in the other!
ReplyDeleteChina
III
What China said.
ReplyDeleteTime for the REVOLUTION!
ReplyDeleteWe have been fighting it for a long time. We even sent emails to the politicians in charge of this area. Here is a link to a site that we get emails from about anything health-wise:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.healthfreedomusa.org
I suggest you sign up for the email alerts.
I'm spitting nails and have no words( nice ones anyway) to say. I got an email alert, but after the Senate vote.
ReplyDeleteEvery one of the Tea Party candidates and Republicans that we helped put in office in November need to get emails from us now ...this is NOT what we sent them to DC for. They need to understand that just because they won the seat from a long time constituent, they are not more secure in that seat than the person they replaced ...they are, in fact, LESS secure because we THE PEOPLE are not going to take it anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe Tomato rebellion has begun.
ReplyDeleteIt is reaching the point that the only hope we have is that the reduced economy starves the government before they can do any real harm. The more they spend the closer we get to real freedom or it looks that way sometimes.
I understand your ire completely as I'm right there too! Folks need to understand we MUST stay on top of the folks in Washington, and our local state capitals, all the time. Just voting in new folks, and expecting them to "do the right thing" is a fools view of the world. We have to keep calling, writing and emailing to let them know what "we the people" want. Letting them know we are watching and will continue to watch, every step along the way!
ReplyDeleteSadly, much of this mess is ours as many people have been too distracted and/or asleep at the wheel for far too many years. The number of people who vote has consistently been on the decline and those who do vote, vote only. They never bothered to pay attention to what was happening.
NOW the mess is so big we can't deny it any longer.
Best advice? Keep calling and emailing....while preparing to take care of you and yours the best way you can. Learn the skills necessary to become self-reliant, pack up your pantry, medicine and other cabinets, and pray fervently!
But this is just my .02!
MaMaBear in the Mitten
I am also angry about this. I have done all the above suggested things. It doesn't matter to the powers that be what we the people want. oh.....I could go on and on about this.....
ReplyDelete